it took a phone call from president obama for authorities to take action. our pentagon correspondent barbara starr interviewed one of the moms whose child was alle allegedly mistreated. >> all along this first week when we were being given peace meal information, denied access to videotapes, we were being asked if we wanted to seek medical care for our child. for what, obviously. we wanted to understand and see with our own eyes since that evidence was available. >> barbara starr joins me now from washington. good morning, great to see you. when a terrible story. curious to know, how was this able to go on for so long with nobody blowing the whistle on it? >> this is really the question. let's start with the point that this young mother doesn't want her face shown because she doesn't want her children identified. one is the subject of abuse. she doesn't want her husband to be subject to retaliation. that's the climate we're talking about here. the actual abuse, the allegations, all happened back in september. but that phone call from president obama didn't